Bow or sling shot with tubular detachable projectile guide means

ABSTRACT

A CLAMP-ON DEVICE WHICH CAN BE ADDED TO AN ORDINARY BOW OR SLING SHOT HAVING A LONGITUDINALLY SLOTTED BARREL FOR GREATER ACCURACY AND HAVING A MAGAZINE SO THAT A LARGE NUMBER OF SHOTS CAN BE FIRED IN QUICK SUCCESSION. THE SLOTTED BARREL HAS A PROJECTILE IMPACT HEAD MEMBER POSITIONED IN THE BARREL. THE IMPACT HEAD IS CONNECTED TO A RESILIENT MEMBER WHICH ABUTS A PROJECTILE. WHEN THE HEAD IS COCKED AND RELEASED THE PROJECTILE WILL BE PROPELLED THROUGH THE BARREL DUE TO THE FORCE DEVELOPED BY THE RESILIENT MEMBER.

March 23, 1971 BAER 3,572,311

BOW OR SLING SHOT WITH TUBULAR DETACHABLE PROJECTILE GUIDE MEANS Filed July 31, 1969 3 Sheets-Sheet l 39 9 3/ I INVENTOR.

L 91 1;;%@/ mil? I BA 7"" J, BY

ATTOKNE Y5 March 23, 1971 BAER 3,572,311 BOW OR SLING SHOT WITH TUBULAR DETACHABLE PROJECTILE GUIDE MEANS Filed July 31, 1969 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 I Er- E INVENTOR. R0651? I 5145 ATTORNEYS BY W R. T. BAER SHOT WITH March 23, 1971 BOW OR SLING TUBULAR DETACHABLE PROJECTILE GUIDE MEANS Filed July 31, 1969 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 -FIE: -15- United States Patent O US. Cl. 12420 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A clamp-on device which can be added to an ordinary bow or sling shot having a longitudinally slotted barrel 15 for greater accuracy and having a magazine so that a large number of shots can be fired in quick succession. The slotted barrel has a projectile impact head member positioned in the barrel. The impact head is connected to a resilient member which abuts a projectile. When the head is cocked and released the projectile will be propelled through the barrel due to the force developed by the resilient member.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS Continuation-in-part of Serial Nos. 696,921, filed Jan. 10, 1968, and 744,283, filed June 11, 1968, both cases are now abandoned.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A clamp-on device for a bow or sling shot is provided which has a slotted barrel which can be clamped to an ordinary bow or sling shot with members extending to an impact head which slides in the barrel. The device has a magazine so that a large number of shots can be fired in quick succession. In one embodiment a magnet is provided so that the ammunition will not roll out when the gun is tilted down and also will prevent more than one shot from rolling into the barrel if the impact head is pulled back too far. In another embodiment a dimple is provided in the barrel which accomplishes the same result, and enables one to use nonmagnetic ammunition, such as lead.

In the specification and claims, the term resilient member is used to include propelling means which stretch, such as a rubber band as well as propelling means wherein energy is stored by bending, as in a bow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a device embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the device shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial view showing the internal construction of the device.

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view showing an alternate embodiment wherein projectiles or arrows can be fired.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the device.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the device shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged section on the line 77 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged section on the line 8-8 of FIG. 6.

3,572,311 Patented Mar. 23, 1971 FIG. 9 is an enlarged section on the line 9-9 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention wherein the device is applied to a bow.

5 FIG. 11 is a section on the line 1-111 of FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a section on the line 1212 of FIG. 10. FIG. 13 is a section on the line 13-13 of FIG. 12. FIG. 14 is a section on the line 14-14 of FIG. 10. FIG. 15 is a section on the line 1515 of FIG. 14.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The device of the present invention as shown in FIGS. 14 includes a barrel 5 of tubular form, suitable made of metal. At each side of the barrel there are slots 7 and 9 which extend almost to the ends of the barrel. Suitably, these slots terminate about two inches short of the ends, providing a barrel of sufficient rigidity. The barrel 5 is fastened to a block 11 by any suitable means such as welding or brazing and this in turn is fastened by means of a screw 13 to a front cross member 15. The

cross member 15 together with a rear cross member 17 are provided with bolts 19 and 21 at the opposite ends 25 thereof so that the assembly can be clamped onto the frame of a standard sling shot 23. Preferably wing nuts are employed as at 25 and 27 so that the device can be attached or detached quickly without the use of tools.

An impact head 29 slides freely within the barrel 5 and across cord 31 extends through the impact head and out through the slots 7 and 9. The ends of the cord 31 are attached to the elastic members 33 and 35, suitably of rubber, and the opposite ends to these members are attached to the frame 23 in known manner. Washers 37 may' be employed to avoid chafing or binding of the cross cord and also prevent members 33 and 35 from entering the barrel when the device is fired.

Attached to the impact head 29 is a cocking cord 39 which extends from the rear of barrel 5. It will be noted that the cocking cord 39 is approximately of the same diameter of the barrel so that after the device is discharged, a projectile will not roll into the barrel behind the impact head 29.

Extending above the barrel 5 is a magazine 41 which is fastened by suitable means such as welding or brazing to the barrel 5 and which is in open communication with the barrel 5. Situated near the magazine 41 is a small magnet 43.

In order to use the device it is only necessary to load the magazine 41 with a quantity of projectiles which are suitably small steel balls '45. The cord 39 is then grasped, as is shown in FIG. 1 and pulled back and as the impact head 29 clears the magazine 41, one of the projectiles will fall into the barrel. If the cord 39 is pulled back too far, the magnet will hold the projectile in place directly under the magazine so that a second projectile will not roll into the tube. Also, should the device he pointed downwardly, the magnet will prevent the projectile from rolling down the barrel. One now releases the cord 39, firing the projectile and, as the impact head passes the tube 41, another projectile will not fall into the barrel 5 since the cord 39 substantially fills the space of the barrel. The cord 39 can then be grasped and the operation repeated. This can be done quite rapidly until the ammunition is exhaused.

Another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 4 where the magazine 47 is elongated in order to accommodate small darts or arrows 49. These may be either of a magnetic material or they may be of wood or plastic and have a magnetic band thereon so that they will be held in place by means of the magnet 43 as previously described.

The embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 5 through 9 is an improved version wherein the tube has only a single slot. This yields a much more rigid structure for a given barrel length and enables one to make a practical embodiment of the invention having a much longer barrel. In this device, a sling shot 50 is used having a handle 52 with resilient members such as rubber bands 54 and 56 connected to the yoke of the sling shot. A clamp member 58 is provided and to this clamp member is attached the barrel 60 by means of set screw 62.

The barrel 60 has a slot 64 therein and, because of the assembly problem, this slot must extend through at least one end of the barrel. The end where the slot extends through the end can be provided with a cap 66 which tends to preserve the rigidity of the barrel. Naturally two caps would be use if both ends of the barrel were slotted. Riding in the barrel and extending through the slot is the impact head generally designated 68. This consists of a cylindrical section 70 which rides within the barrel and an extension 72 which is formed integral therewith and which extends out through the slot. Preferably the impact head 68 is made of a tough plastic such as nylon (polyester) which has low friction and long wear characteristics. The resilient members 56 and 58 extend through extension 72 as can best be seen in FIGS. 5 and 8. At the rear of the impact head 68, a cocking cord 74 is attached which extends through the rear of the barrel and which can be provided with a tab 76 so that it can be easily grasped. A light spring is fastened to the rear of the barrel 78 and normally extends just beyond hole 80 preventing a shot from falling into the barrel behind the impact head. Spring 78 also permits one to use a light cocking cord 74, increasing impact by lessening the mass.

A hole 80 is provided in the barrel and above this is mounted a magazine 82 as previously described. A magnet 84 is mounted near the opening. A cap '86- can be provided at the end of the magazine. If desired, a sight 88 can be mounted on the front of the barrel.

A side slot 90 can be provided at some point along slot 64 but behind the magazine. The device can be held in cocked position by turning 72 so it is held by the side slot.

The functioning of the device is exactly as previously described but the advantage of this embodiment is the greater stiffness due to the employment of only a single slot. Because of a low friction properties of the polyester impact head, there is no binding despite the fact that force is applied to only one side of it.

In FIG. 5, for ease of illustration the magazine has been shown off to one side. In utilizing the device, it is obvious that the magazine 82 must be more or less vertical so that the shot will roll into the barrel. Thus the handle 52 is grasped and held substantially parallel to the ground with the right hand while the left hand is used to actuate the cocking cord.

Referring now to that embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. through 15, there is shown a conventional bow having the usual extremities 90 and 92 and a center portion 94 of reduced cross-sectional area. In this embodiment of the invention, the slotted barrel 96 is provided with a tubular member 98 which holds the barrel in place by means of the set screws 100. The slotted member has an impact head 101 as previously described with an arm 102 extending through the slot. The bow string 104 passes through this arm as illustrated.

The tubular member 98 which retains the barrel 96 has attached thereto threaded rods 106 which hold a clamping member 108 in place. This is best shown in FIG. 13. Wing nuts 110 are preferably used so that the device can be removed readily for transportation and storage or to restore the bow to its normal function for use with arrows.

A magazine 112 is provided and, although this can be in the form previously described, this somewhat interferes with the action when used with a bow. Therefore, in this embodiment the magazine preferably extends more or less parallel with the barrel 96 and in order to load the device, it is only necessary to tilt the barrel somewhat to the rear as can best be seen in FIG. 15. If desired, a magnet 114 can be employed when used with magnetic ammunition. Also, by providing a small depression or dimple 116 at one side of the barrel, non-magnetic ammunition can be used such as lead balls. Both or either the dimple and magnet can be employed.

The set screws not only serve to held the barrel 96 with respect to the tubular member 98 but also serve as an adjustment device so that the bow can be employed with different degrees of tension. Thus, a beginner might move the barrel forward to shorten the distance between the outlet of magazine 112 and the bow, while the experienced user wishing to utilize the maximum force of the bow could adjust the device by moving the barrel to the rear.

It is believed obvious from the foregoing that I have provided improved forms of how and sling shot devices which are adapted for rapid firing by the provision of a magazine. Further, the combination of the magnet and the employment of a snap cord or spring having a diameter sufiicient to fill the barrel render the device substantially failure proof should the device be inclined downwardly or should the cord be pulled back too far. In addition, the devices of the present invention lend themselves to ready attachment or detachment to a standard bow or sling shot.

I claim:

1. A projectile launching device utilizing a resilient member as a source of stored energy comprising in combination:

(a) a barrel,

(b) a projector (c) a longitudinally extending slot in the barrel,

(d) resilient projectile propelling means,

(e) a magazine mounted adjacent to the barrel, one

end of the magazine opening into the barrel,

(f) an opening in the barrel whereby projectiles can pass from the magazine into the barrel,

(g) means for storing energy developed by the resilient means, (h) projectile impact means slidably fitting within the barrel and adapted to abut said projectile while in a cocked position, said impact means abutting said projectile during a major portion of the latters travel through said barrel,

(i) means for attaching the resilient means to said impact means,

(j) cocking means attached to the impact means, and

(k) clamp-on means positioned on the means for storing energy, said clamp-on means including a first member attached to the barrel and a second member releasably attached to said first member, said first and second members grasping the means for storing energy.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein a magnet is provided near the outlet from the magazine and wherein the projectiles are made of a magnetic material.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein a dimple is pro vided on the inside surface of the barrel adjacent the magazine.

4. The structure of claim 1 wherein the means for storing energy includes a sling shot having spaced arms with said resilient means extending from the impact head to the spaced arms.

5. The structure of claim 1 wherein said resilient projectile propelling means and means for storing energy are a bow including a bow string and said clamp-on means clamps the barrel to the center of said bow and the bow string extends from substantially the ends of the bow through a projection on the impact head.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 736,051 8/1903 Adams 12424 1,319,296 10/1919 Liggon 12449X 6 Fuller 12449X Douglas 12424-X Jarnagin 12420 Baldwin 12427X GEORGE J. MARLO, Primary Examiner W. R. BROWNE, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

